Pad conditioner cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

A cleaning cup for holding and cleaning a pad conditioner having a conditioner head, the cleaning cup includes a spray nozzle for spraying a cleaning solution on a top side of the conditioner head. The cleaning cup further includes a plurality of support pins extending upwards from a base of the cleaning cup to receive the conditioner head thereon.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to chemical mechanical polishing of substrates and, more particularly to a polishing pad conditioner cleaning apparatus.

Integrated circuits are typically formed on substrates, particularly silicon wafers, by the sequential deposition of conductive, semiconductive or insulative layers. Specific structures and devices are formed by preferential etching of the layers aided by photolithography. High resolution and accurate focusing of the photolithography apparatus allows the formation of well defined micro- or nano-structures. Accurate focusing of the photolithography apparatus is difficult for non-planar surfaces. Therefore, there is a need to periodically planarize the substrate surface to provide a planar surface. Planarization, in effect, polishes away a non-planar, outer surface, whether a conductive, semiconductive, or insulative layer, to form a relatively flat, smooth surface.

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is one accepted method of planarization. This planarization method typically requires that the substrate be mounted on a carrier or polishing head, with the surface of the substrate to be polished exposed. The substrate is then placed against a rotating polishing pad. The carrier head provides a controllable load, i.e., pressure, on the substrate to push it against the polishing pad. In addition, the carrier head may rotate to provide additional motion between the substrate and polishing surface. Further, a polishing slurry, including an abrasive and at least one chemically-reactive agent, may be spread on the polishing pad to provide an abrasive chemical solution at the interface between the pad and substrate.

The effectiveness of a CMP process may be measured by its polishing rate, and by the resulting finish (absence of small-scale roughness) and flatness (absence of large-scale topography) of the substrate surface. Inadequate flatness and finish can produce substrate defects. The polishing rate, finish and flatness are determined by the pad and slurry combination, the relative speed between the substrate and pad, and the force pressing the substrate against the pad. The polishing rate sets the time needed to polish a layer. Thus, it sets the maximum throughput of the polishing apparatus.

It is important to take appropriate steps to counteract any deteriorative factors which may either damage the substrate (such as by scratches resulting from accumulated debris in the pad) or reduce polishing speed and efficiency (such as results from glazing of the pad surface after extensive use). The problems associated with scratching the substrate surface are self-evident. The more general pad deterioration problems both decrease polishing efficiency, which increase cost, and create difficulties in maintaining consistent operation from substrate to substrate as the pad decays.

The glazing phenomenon is a complex combination of contamination, thermal, chemical and mechanical damage to the pad material. When the polisher is in operation, the pad is subject to compression, shear and friction producing heat and wear. Slurry and abraded material from the wafer and pad are pressed into the pores of the pad material and the material itself becomes matted and even partially fused. These effects reduce the pad's roughness and its ability to efficiently polish the substrate.

It is, therefore, desirable to continually condition the pad by removing trapped slurry, and unmatting or re-expanding the pad material.

A number of conditioning procedures and apparatus have been developed. A conventional conditioner has an arm holding a conditioner head with an abrasive disk facing the polishing pad. A bearing system rotatably supports the abrasive disk at the end of the arm. The abrasive disk rotates against the polishing pad to physically abrade the polishing pad and remove the glazing layer from the polishing pad.

While the abrasive disk is rotating against the polishing pad, slurry will tend to coat the conditioner head. However, when the conditioner head is not operating, e.g., between polishing operations or due to maintenance, the slurry on conditioner head will tend to dry out. As the slurry dries, it tends to form a hardened “caked” surface, and sodium hydroxide in the slurry tends to crystallize. The resulting solidified slurry particles may fall off the conditioner head onto the polishing pad. These particles may scratch the wafer during polishing. The CMP apparatus can include a cleaning cup for removing slurry deposits from a conditioner head. Unfortunately, some wafer scratching persists.

The slurry solidification problem has been associated generally with the abrasive disk of the conditioner head since it is the part of the conditioner head that physically contacts the polishing pad. In reality, the slurry may be splashed on other parts of the conditioner head, e.g., a top side of the conditioner head.

In view of the above, there is room for improvement in cleaning of the conditioner head.

SUMMARY

In general, in one aspect, the present invention features a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus comprising a pad conditioner and a cleaning cup having a base and walls extending upward from the base for holding and cleaning the conditioner head. The cleaning cup includes a spray nozzle for spraying cleaning solution onto the conditioner head.

Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The cleaning cup further includes a first passage for directing the cleaning solution to the spray nozzle. The cleaning cup further includes a spray nozzle support having a second passage, the spray nozzle support supporting the spray nozzle and connecting the first and second passages to direct the cleaning solution to the spray nozzle. The cleaning cup further includes a cleaning solution passage for continuously supplying the cleaning solution to the cleaning cup. The cleaning cup further includes a continuous cleaning solution passage for continuously supplying the cleaning cup with a cleaning solution. The cleaning cup further includes at least one drain to drain the cleaning solution from the cleaning cup. The cleaning solution in the cleaning cup is maintained at a substantially constant level. The cleaning solution is deionized water. The cleaning cup includes a plurality of spray nozzles. The spray nozzle sprays a cleaning solution on a top side of the conditioner head.

In another embodiment, the invention is a method of cleaning a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. The method comprises placing a pad conditioner including a conditioner head in a cleaning cup; and turning on a cleaning solution dispenser to provide a cleaning solution to a top side of the conditioner head.

The invention provides a cleaning apparatus which can clean the entire conditioner head. The invention also provides a reliable means of cleaning an abrasive disk without undue risk of contaminating the abrasive disk.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a polishing station wherein a pad conditioner is conditioning a polishing pad while a wafer is being polished on the polishing pad.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a slurry/rinse arm spraying water onto a polishing pad.

FIG. 4 shows a pad conditioner rotated off a polishing pad and placed in a cleaning cup while pad conditioning is not being performed.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a cleaning cup according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the cleaning cup along line 6—6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7. is a front view of a protrusion in a sidewall of the cleaning cup along line 7—7 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a cleaning cup illustrating a conditioner head placed in the cleaning cup, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus 100 includes three independently-operated polishing stations 114, a substrate transfer station 116, and a rotatable carousel 118 which choreographs the operation of four independently rotatable carrier heads 120. A more detailed description of a similar polishing apparatus 100 may be found in U.S. Pat. No 5,738,574, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The carousel 118 has a support plate 142 with slots 144 through which drive shafts 146 extend to support the carrier heads 120. The carrier heads 120 can independently rotate and oscillate back-and-forth in the slots 144 to produce a uniformly polished substrate surface. The carrier heads 120 are rotated by respective motors 148, which are normally hidden behind a removable cover 150 (one quarter of which is removed in FIG. 1) of the carousel 118. In operation, a substrate is loaded onto the transfer station 116, from which the substrate is transferred to a carrier head 120. The carousel 118 then transfers the substrate through a series of one or more polishing stations 114 and finally returns the polished substrate to the transfer station 116.

Each polishing station 114 includes a rotatable platen 152 which supports a polishing pad 154, a combined slurry delivery/rinse arm 155, and a pad conditioner apparatus 156. Each polishing station 114 also includes a cleaning cup 166 that contains a cleaning solution, such as deionized water, for rinsing or cleaning the conditioner head 160. The platen 152, the slurry delivery/rinse arm 155, the conditioner rise arm apparatus 156, and the cleaning cup 166 are mounted onto a table top 157.

Each slurry/rinse arm 155 supplies slurry to an associated polishing pad 154 to facilitate the wafer polishing operation. In addition, the slurry/rinse arm can supply water to the polishing pad 154 to keep the polishing pad clean.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the slurry/rinse arm 155 includes a slurry nozzle 155 a for supplying slurry to the polishing pad 154. The slurry/rinse arm 155 also includes a plurality of water nozzles 155 b to spray water over the polishing pad 154 to clean the polishing pad 154.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 8, each conditioner apparatus 156 includes an arm 162 that supports a conditioner head 160 over the polishing station. The arm 162 is rotatably secured to the table top 157 at a base 164. The conditioner head 160 includes a circular bottom side 160 a, a circular top side 160 b, and side walls 160 c generally extending from the top side 160 b to the bottom side 160 a. The bottom side 160 a faces the polishing pad 154 and supports or includes an abrasive conditioning disk 161. A distal end of the arm 162 is coupled to the conditioner head 160, and a proximal end of the arm 162 is coupled to the base 164. The base 164 can rotate to pivot the arm 162 and thus move the abrasive disk 161 across the polishing pad surface 176. A more complete description of a similar pad conditioner apparatus may be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/052,798, filed Mar. 31, 1998, entitled Chemical Mechanical Polishing Conditioner, by Gurusamy et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

As shown in FIG. 4, between conditioning operations, the pad conditioner arm 162 pivots to move the conditioner head 160 off the polishing pad 154 and into the cleaning cup 166. In one embodiment, the water nozzles 155 b of the slurry/rinse arm 155 remain on when the conditioner head 160 is removed from the polishing pad 154 and inserted into the cleaning cup 166. Alternatively, the water nozzles 155 b of the slurry/rinse arm 155 may be deactivated when the conditioner head 160 is placed in the cleaning cup 166.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the cleaning cup 166 includes a generally triangular-shaped base 168 and a sidewall 170 which extends upwardly from the perimeter of the base 168. The sidewall 170 includes an inner wall 170 a and an outer wall 170 b. The base 168 and the inner wall 170 a define a triangular-shaped basin for receiving the pad conditioner head 160.

The base 168 includes a lower base portion 174 portion and an upper base portion 172. The upper base portion 172 is at a higher elevation than the lower base portion 174. A main channel 178 separates the upper base portion 172 from the sidewall 170. A main drain 182 may be positioned adjacent to a corner of the base 168 and connected to the main channel 178 to drain cleaning fluid from the cleaning cup 166. Of course, the main drain 182 may be placed in other areas as well. An annular channel 176 is provided to define a border between the upper base portion 172 and the lower base portion 174. An annular channel drain 180 is coupled to the annular channel 176.

The lower base portion 174 is designed to receive the abrasive disk 161 of the conditioner head 160. The lower base portion 174 is a circular shape to correspond to the shape of the abrasive disk 161 and the conditioner head 160. Three support pins 184 protrude upwardly from the lower base 174. The support pins 184 define the vertices of a triangle. The sides of the triangle defined by the support pins 184 are preferably equal in length. The support pins 184 provide a stable support to receive the abrasive disk 161 and the conditioner head 160. The pins 184 also provide a space between the lower base 174 and the abrasive disk 161 so that a cleaning fluid may flow therebetween to clean the abrasive disk 161.

A protrusion 186 extends outwardly from the sidewall 170. As shown in FIG. 7, the protrusion 186 has two passages 188 and 190 arranged vertically for introducing cleaning solution into the cleaning cup 166. The upper passage 188 extends from the front of the protrusion 186 and ends at the inner wall 170 a. The upper passage 188 is connected to a first cleaning solution supply (not shown) by a first tube (not shown), and continuously replenishes the cleaning solution in the cleaning cup 166. The main drain 182 and the annular channel drain 180 are used to drain the cleaning fluid from the cleaning cup 166 so that a substantially constant level of cleaning solution 167 (see FIG. 8) is maintained in the cleaning cup 166.

The lower passage 190 extends from the front of the protrusion 186, continues under a portion 192 of the upper base 172, and ends with a spray opening 197 on the upper base 172. The upper passage 190 is connected to a second cleaning fluid supply (not shown) by a second tube (not shown).

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 8, an L-shaped spray nozzle support 194 having a passage 193 therethrough is fitted into the spray opening 197. A spray nozzle 196 is connected an end of the spray nozzle support 194. The spray nozzle support 194 is of sufficient length to enable the spray nozzle 196 to be positioned slightly above the top side 160 b of the conditioner head 160 when the conditioner head 160 is located in the cleaning cup 166.

As discussed, between conditioning operations, the conditioner head 160 is placed inside the cleaning cup 166, and the abrasive disk 161 is placed on the support pins 184. A level 198 of cleaning solution 167 in the cleaning cup 166 is maintained so that the cleaning solution 167 is slightly above the abrasive disk 161, but is below the top side 160 b and upper parts of the side walls 160 c of the conditioner head 160. The spray nozzle 196 is positioned above the conditioner head 160 to spray a cleaning solution 199 on the top side 160 b and the upper portions of the side wall 160 c of the conditioner head 160 to remove any slurry deposits therefrom. Specifically, slurry deposits on the side walls of the conditioner head 160 may be removed by a spray from the spray nozzle 196, or by the flowing action of the cleaning solution as it drains off the top side 160 a of the conditioner head 160 and flows down along the side walls 160 c. Slurry deposits on other parts of the pad conditioner 156, e.g., a shaft 163 coupling the conditioner head 160 and the arm 162, may also be removed by adjusting the position of the spray nozzle 196.

Although only one spray nozzle has been described, additional spay nozzles may be placed in the cleaning cup 166 to more effectively clean the pad conditioner 156. In addition, although the spray nozzle 196 has been described as positioned inside the cleaning cup 166, the spray nozzle 196 may be positioned in other locations, e.g., outside and extending over the cleaning cup 166. Also, although the mechanism for directing the cleaning solution has been described as a spray nozzle, other types of fluid dispensers may be used. Furthermore, a cleaning solution other than deionized water may be used to remove slurry deposits on the pad conditioner 156.

The present invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment. The invention, however, is not limited to the embodiment depicted and described. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, comprising: a pad conditioner having a conditioner head; and a cleaning cup having a base and a wall extending upward from the base for holding and cleaning the conditioner head, the cleaning cup including a spray nozzle for spraying a cleaning solution onto the conditioner head.
 2. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning cup further includes a first passage for directing the cleaning solution to the spray nozzle.
 3. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cleaning cup further includes a spray nozzle support having a second passage, the spay nozzle support supporting the spray nozzle and the first passage being connected to the second passage to direct the cleaning solution to the spray nozzle.
 4. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning cup further includes a cleaning solution passage for continuously supplying the cleaning cup with a cleaning solution.
 5. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the cleaning cup further includes at least one drain to drain the cleaning solution from the cleaning cup.
 6. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cleaning solution in the cleaning cup is maintained at a substantially constant level.
 7. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning cup further includes a plurality of support pins extending upward from the base to support the conditioner head thereon-and provide a space between the conditioner head and the base for the flow of cleaning solution therebetween.
 8. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution is deionized water.
 9. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning cup includes a plurality of spray nozzles.
 10. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spray nozzle sprays a cleaning solution on a top side of the conditioner head.
 11. A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, comprising: a pad conditioner having a conditioner head; a cleaning cup having a base and a wall extending upward from the base for holding and cleaning the conditioner head; and a cleaning solution dispenser that provides a flowing cleaning solution onto a top side of the conditioner head.
 12. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cleaning cup further includes a cleaning solution passage for continuously supplying the cleaning cup with a cleaning solution.
 13. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the cleaning cup further includes at least one drain to drain the cleaning solution from the cleaning cup.
 14. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the cleaning solution in the cleaning cup is maintained at a substantially constant level.
 15. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cleaning cup further includes a plurality of support pins extending upward from the base to support the conditioner head thereon and provide a space between the conditioner head and the base for the flow of the cleaning solution therebetween.
 16. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cleaning solution is deionized water.
 17. A method of cleaning a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, comprising the steps of: placing a pad conditioner including a conditioner head in a cleaning cup; and turning on a cleaning solution dispenser to provide a cleaning solution onto a top side of the conditioner head.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the cleaning solution dispenser provides the cleaning solution to a shaft of the pad conditioner. 